The Art of Discipline: Running Toward Trouble (The Mockingbird Chronicles) (8 page)

Dani eagerly returned the kiss, and then sat up on the bed as Emma turned to her side and watched as Dani quickly shed her shirt and shimmied out of her pants. “Are you just going to watch or did you want to join me?” Dani asked with a smirk.

“Brat,” Emma responded as Dani removed her undergarments and lay back on the bed. Dani easily pulled Emma on top of her, making Emma straddle her hips as she removed her pajama top.

Reaching up, Dani caressed Emma’s breasts gently and then moved her hands to Emma’s shoulders, bringing her gently forward and allowing Dani’s mouth to capture Emma’s nipples. She slowly taunted them into hard nubs as her hands moved along Emma’s back and bottom.

Emma leaned into Dani’s ministrations, but shifted slightly, causing Dani to let go of her nipple so that she could capture her mouth in a kiss. Lying on top of Dani, Emma moved down the taller woman’s body, kissing as she followed a line from Dani’s collarbone to breasts. Swirling her tongue around Dani’s navel, Emma then continued her gentle ministrations lower, finally causing Dani to whimper in need as her tongue flicked along Dani’s throbbing clit.

Moaning Emma’s name, Dani pulled her knees up and spread herself as far as she could while her hands tangled in Emma’s hair, urging the woman to go faster. Feeling Emma’s tongue stop, Dani groaned and Emma looked up from between Dani’s legs. “Uh-uh, you aren’t controlling this, Danielle.”

“Faster, Emma, please,” Dani finally whined.

“Maybe,” Emma teased as she began to slowly work Dani’s bundle of nerves with her tongue again before slipping it inside Dani’s ready opening.

Groaning again, Dani tried to open herself wider. Emma finally placed her hands on Dani’s exposed thighs, moving away from Dani’s center and licking and nipping up her thighs before once more moving back to Dani’s core. Using her tongue, Emma explored Dani’s lips and center once more before finally latching onto Dani’s clit and beginning a rhythm with her lips that finally took Dani to her ecstasy.

Riding out Dani’s orgasm, Emma finally gave Dani’s lower lips a final kiss before moving back up the woman’s body and capturing her mouth in a passionate exchange, her tongue probing deeply.

“Wow,” Dani finally pulled out of the kiss and then turned Emma onto her back, smirking when Emma winced as her sore backside came in contact with the mattress. “My turn, or should I say, your turn?” Dani asked with a definite twinkle in her eye.

* * *

It was mid-morning the next day when Emma found herself squirming in her seat. They still had an hour left before reaching Chicago and despite the release that Dani had offered her the night before, her backside was still paying the price. Looking out the window, she heard another snicker from Dani and sighed.

“Dani, enough with the snickering,” Emma scolded coolly. “I’m quite over the teasing.”

“Sure, Emma, whatever you say,” Dani answered before chuckling.

“Danielle!”

“What? I’m chuckling, you definitely said no snickering,” Dani protested as they left the remnants of the city of Valparaiso behind them.

Squirming again, Emma groaned. She knew the last hour was going to feel like twenty. “Pull off at the next exit, Dani. I need to stretch.”

“More like you need to get off your bottom for a bit,” Dani smirked, making sure to keep her eyes on the road. “Gee, I don’t know if I should do that. How else are you ever going to remember the spanking and what you needed it for?” she teased as Emma took a deep breath.

Emma’s reply was cut off by Dani’s cell phone ringing. “Hello, no, Morgan, it’s Emma. Sorry, Dani’s driving right now, do you want me to put you on speaker or take a message? Okay, sure, I’ll tell her. Thanks for calling, bye.”

Dani looked briefly at Emma before turning back to the road. “Well, what was that about?

“Morgan says to tell you that per your instructions, her ass is now out of the condo for the duration of our stay in Chicago. If you need to reach her, try her cell, or her boyfriend’s place, since that’s where she’s staying.”

“Oh, I’m sure that was the only reason,” Dani joked. “If I know Morgan, this is one of her relationship tests.”

“Relationship tests?”

“Yes, she’ll spend a long weekend or week with a guy to see if she could ever see herself living with him. If he passes, she keeps up the relationship. If he fails, she keeps it up until something better comes along.”

“I can’t believe anyone would do that.”

“Ah, that’s because you don’t know Morgan very well.”

“I suppose,” Emma paused as the car slowed and took the exit. She was relieved that she’d be able to get off her backside, even if only for a few minutes.

* * *

Sighing in relief, Dani opened the door to her condo. She made a beeline for her bedroom before gladly dropping their bags on her bed. “I am so glad that trip is over.”

“Me too. What a long, uncomfortable drive,” Emma commented as she followed Dani into the room, unconsciously rubbing her backside.

Dani looked at Emma, her eyes wide. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Emma. We had a perfectly lovely drive this morning.”

Emma smiled. “Yes, I suppose we did, especially if you count the stop near that park.”

Dani rubbed her own bottom gently. “I still can’t believe you left that purple plastic hairbrush in my glove compartment.”

Emma chuckled. “Must be my carryover from my Girl Scout days, ‘Always be prepared.’”

“I thought that was the Boy Scout motto.”

Emma shrugged. “Who knows; works though, doesn’t it?”

“I guess so,” Dani muttered.

Looking at the nightstand clock, Emma decided, “We have just enough time to run by the office and finish that paperwork you promised Cal.”

“You’re tired; why don’t I take care of it and then pick you up here after my meeting with Mr. Zitti?”

Emma shook her head. “Have you forgotten you’re grounded, Danielle?”

“You were serious about doing it here too?”

Emma smiled and linked arms with her girlfriend. “Dead serious, young lady, let’s get going.”

* * *

“Long time no see, boss lady,” Olivia grinned, handing Dani a supersized diet soda.

“Thanks, Olivia,” Dani smiled, taking the large cup. “You remember Emma, don’t you?”

Olivia smiled and handed the redhead a bottle of water. “Sure do. I didn’t expect to see you here though.”

Emma accepted the water and gave a pointed look to Dani. “Well, I didn’t feel like hanging out all day in an empty condo, so thought I’d come and see how Dani does business.”

Olivia moved to sit down again, only to pause as Dani sighed. Placing the cup on Olivia’s desk, Dani said, “Could you hand me a water instead?”

Olivia slowly turned and took a water from the small refrigerator behind her. “You feeling okay, Danielle?”

“Yeah, just felt like water,” she answered quickly, walking into her office before her office manager could ask any more questions. Sitting down, Dani frowned at the water now sitting on her desk. “I wanted the soda,” she pouted.

Coming around the desk, Emma put her arms around Dani’s neck and leaned around to kiss her cheek. “I’m proud of you, Dani,” she stated before rising and moving toward the seating area to the side of the room.

Dani watched her for a moment before starting to clear off the clutter that had accumulated in her absence. Time flew and before she realized it, it was getting late. Dani yawned and stretched. Seeing Emma still involved on her new computer tablet, she grumbled before saying, “Emma, we’d better get going; it’s almost 2:30 and I want to make sure we have plenty of time to get to Carmina’s.”

Nodding, Emma shut off the game she was playing and put the tablet in her oversized purse. “I never knew a game about throwing imaginary animals into objects could be so much fun.”

“I wouldn’t know,” Dani commented dryly as she held the door open for Emma.

“I’ll be at Carmina’s for my 3:00 with Mr. Zitti. Text me or leave a voice mail if you need to, otherwise divert any issues to Morgan or Cal.”

“Right, keep up the status quo, got it, boss,” Olivia quipped.

* * *

Dani put her hand in the small of Emma’s back as they entered the restaurant. She’d never been here before, but the unassuming window front promised it to be a very local, very authentic Italian restaurant.

Stopping to allow their eyes to adjust to the dim lighting, Dani smiled as a distinguished-looking man with jet-black hair and a pinstripe suit waved to them. Standing, he returned her smile, and extended his hand before kissing first Dani, and then Emma on both cheeks.

“Thank you so much for coming, Ms. Ryan.” He motioned for the women to sit before doing so himself and then snapped his fingers, the waiter immediately appearing with a basket of homemade garlic rolls and a bottle of wine.

“Mr. Zitti, it’s a pleasure to see you again. I hope you don’t mind but I brought my business partner along today. Emma Gray, I’d like you to meet Mr. Frankie Zitti.”

“Very nice to meet you, Ms. Gray.” The man’s dark green eyes twinkled.

“It’s nice to meet you as well,” Emma returned as she took in the scenery. “This seems to be a very nice place.”

The man beamed. “My son opened it a couple of years ago. Four years of college, two in culinary school and now he’s a chef, makes his old man proud.” Another waiter had quietly appeared and left a plate of antipasta at the table. “Please,
mangia
,
mangia
. Eat, ladies. I didn’t ask you here to stare at the walls.”

Dani smiled and slowly tried an olive from the platter. “Then why did you ask me here, Mr. Zitti?”

“I told you, I want you to be in charge of my daughter’s coming-out party.”

At the explanation, Dani tensed. She felt Emma’s hand take hers, giving it a quick squeeze of support. Turning her attention back to the conversation, she prayed she wasn’t making a mistake. “And I’d believe that if your wife was here. If I remember correctly, all the planning for Carmella’s wedding was done with your sister and mother. Both told me numerous times that men had no place in planning events for their daughters,” Dani explained.

Taking a sip of wine, the man stared hard at Dani and then Emma before putting his glass down and sampling some of the antipasta. “You are just as smart as my sister said you were, Ms. Ryan.”

Stopping the conversation as bowls of soup were placed in front of them, Frankie waited until the waiter had moved away before beginning again. “You’re right, I do want you to plan Giuliana’s coming-out party, but my wife will be contacting you about it in a few months.”

“Then why are we here, Mr. Zitti?” Emma asked quietly between bites of soup.

They ate in silence for a while before he answered. “First, you weren’t supposed to be here, Ms. Gray, just Ms. Ryan. The fact that you are here complicates matters, but since this also concerns you, I will allow it.”

“What on earth are you talking about?” Dani asked as their soup bowls were removed and their water glasses refilled.

Leaning forward on the table, he ran a beefy hand through his hair. “Ms. Ryan, how well did you know your father or his family?”

Dani paused before getting another squeeze from Emma’s hand. “My father and mother died when I was six. I was raised by my grandparents, but visited my father’s brother during the summer and on holidays. Somehow though, I think you already knew that.”

“And how did your grandparents feel about your father’s family?”

Dani shrugged. “They were civil to my uncle, for my sake, I guess.”

He nodded and sat back as the waiter brought various dishes and empty plates from the kitchen. Holding the plates, the waiter allowed Frankie to put a small portion of each dish on them before setting them in front of Emma and Dani.

Frankie smiled at the selection on his plate. “You are going to love my son’s eggplant parmigiana, just like his grandmother’s,” he commented, allowing them to sample the dishes before continuing.

“Mr. Zitti, why are you asking so much about Dani’s family?” Emma asked. “I thought you said this concerns me too. And by the way, your son is very talented. This meatball is probably the best meatball I’ve ever had.”

The older man beamed. “Wait until you taste his desserts, to die for, let me tell you.” He frowned, looking at Dani’s plate. “Come now, Ms. Ryan, you have to try the eggplant. It’s one of his signature dishes.”

Dani looked at Emma and noticing the risen eyebrow, suppressed the groan. Eying the odd dish, she experimentally stabbed at it with her fork. Working up the courage, she took a bite of the unfamiliar food and was pleasantly surprised. ”You’re right, this is good, but you didn’t answer Emma’s question.”

“In time,” he reassured her before smiling once again. He reached across the table and tapped her hand gently. “I would never lead you wrong, Ms. Ryan. In fact, let me tell you a story about my youth and one of my best friends.”

“What does that have to do with why you invited us here?” Dani asked, taking another bite of the eggplant.

“It has everything to do with why I invited you here, other than to taste this wonderful cooking, of course.” Taking another sip of his wine, he sat back before once more leaning forward and beginning.

“I grew up in the neighborhood here, Little Italy. When I was ten, a new family moved in next door to me. Now there was nothing unusual about that, except they weren’t Italian. That’s right, last name was Ryan and they were as Irish as they came.

“I became friends with their youngest son, a boy named Liam, who just happened to be my age. He also had an older brother, Sean, and the two couldn’t be more different. Sean loved books and school while Liam loved to roam the streets looking for adventure. We were, more often than not, partners in crime.”

“What do you mean, Mr. Zitti?” Dani asked, now curious.

“Please, call me Frankie; after you hear this, we’ll practically be family anyway.” He smiled at Dani and continued. “Liam and I often got into scrapes, little things: egging a house, spraypainting a fence, putting a bra on the statue of Virgin Mary at our school.” He chuckled at the memory. “But we didn’t get into anything big until we were around fifteen.